A group of muscles present in the upper leg are known as hamstrings. Hamstrings includes the semimembranosus, semitendinosus and the biceps femoris. Most of the injuries caused during running are to the hamstrings.
Symptoms
- If you have a sharp sudden pain that is caused in the back of your thigh that injury is known to be a hamstring injury. When you are having the hamstring injury then you might not be able to bend your leg more than 30 degrees.
- Most of the runners do stretching exercises and warm up before and after their run. When stretching exercises are done beyond their limits then there are chances for the muscle fibers to be torn.
Levels of Hamstrings
Depending on the strains hamstring injuries are divided into three levels that is mild, moderate and severe.
Mild
- Soreness and stiffness in muscles could be some of the symptoms that are shown by when you are suffering from hamstring injuries.
- When there is a problem in your muscles while walking then you can consider this to be a sign of mild hamstring. You might find that there is no flexibility in your knee when you have a hamstring injury.
Moderate
- Sharp twinges, muscle pain and tightness can be found in the back part of your thigh. When there is a hamstring injury then you might notice swelling in your knees.
- You might feel very painful when touched on your knee. You might difficult when there is some movement in your knee.
Severe
- You might feel very painful even when there is a slow movement in your knee. When there is a severe pain in your knee you might not be able to walk without assistance.
Major Causes of Hamstring Injuries
- Imbalance in the muscle
- Lack of proper stretching
- Lack of warmup
- Muscle fatigue
- Doing the strenuous exercises
- Difference in the leg length-Tighter hamstrings
Prevention of Hamstring Injuries
- Proper warm up
- Stretching before and after your workouts
- Encourage backward running
- Gradually increase your speed
- Do not strain yourself during the workouts
